Draft-gear for locomotive engines and tenders.



0. T. WESTLAKE & A. R. THOMAS. DRAFT GEAR FOR LOGOMOTIVB ENGINES ANDTENDERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1908.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.GHARLES T. WESTLAKE AND ALBERT R. THOMAS, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI,ASSIGNORS To DAVIS LOGOMOTIVE DELAWARE.

WHEEL COMPANY, OF STJLOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF DRAFT- GEAR FORLOGOMOTIVE ENGINES'AND TENDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application and July 1c, 1908. Serial1:... 443,861.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES T. Wns'r- LAKEand ALBERT R. THOMAS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at St. l'ouis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Draft-Gear for'Locomotive Engines and Tenders, ofwhichthe following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of draftgear foralocomotive engineor tenderinwhich is transmitted through the limited engaging surface ofits pivot-pin only, to the. pilotbeam thereby rendering thelatter-liable to fracture thereat and in such case necessitatits removaland renewal; and our invention has for its object to remove thisobjection and to enable the coupler to be ad'usted to its normal heightfrom the rails without the use of the shims described in the saidapplication.

The invention consists in features of novelty as hereinafter describedand claimed, reference being had to the accom anying drawing formingpart of this specification, whereon, Y

Figure 1', is a top plan view of our im- "proved draft-gear as appliedto a metallic locomotive pilot-beam broken away and shown partly inhorizontal section at its middle portion on line 1, 1, m Fig. 2; Fig. 2,a front elevation thereof, omitting the cou ler indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 1, an Fig. 3, a

- vertical transverse section through the pilotnote like parts in allthe fi beam, and carry-iron for the coupler, on line '3, 3, in Fig. 2.

Like letters and numerals ofreference deres.

0 represents the pilotearn or end sill (broken away) of a locomotiveengine or .tender, composed in the present case preferably, of caststeel integral throughout, and

configured as shown, or otherwise as desired.

In the beam 0. at its middle portion, is formed a suitably shapedpocket, I) having openings 1 and 2 respectively, through the front sideand bottom of the beam 0. Opening at itsfront end into the pocket I)through 1ts rear wall 3 (corres onding, or thereabout, to the rearsideof he beam a) is a rearwardly extending horizontally arranged andPatented April 13, 19cc.

preferably, cylindrical housing or chamber 0 which is closed at itsinner or rear end and in central alinement with the longitudinalcenterof the underframe.

'Within the housing a is a spiral spring (1 which is adapted to bear atone end against the inner closed end of the housin c and at 1 pocket I)from the corresponding side wall'5 thereof at a suitable distancerearward from the front side of the beam a, and forms a sto 'to thefollower-block e.

' the front portion of the follower-block which pro'ects forward betweenthe webs or sto s 4, t rough the front portion of the poo et 6 and theopening 1 through the front side of the beam (1., is formedahorizontally arranged jaw 6 adapted to receive the rear end of the couler-shank (or draw-bar) 7 which is pivote to the sides .6 of the jaw 6by the verticall arranged pin 8, the rear end of the coupler-s ank 7being curved radiall to the pin 8 and adapted to bear in the honzontalmovement of the coupler-shank 7 about the pin 8, against acorrespondinglyby the inverted correspondingly shaped end portions of acarry-iron 1 0 wh1ch spans the 0 'ening 1 thereat and is adapted to suport tl ie follower-block e, the metal at each si e of the carry-iron 10projecting beyond the body and forming a shoulder which bears on theedges of the flanges of the brackets 9 and supports the carry-iron 10 inits engaged positlon therewith, the carry-iron 10 being held in place bythe follower-block e without the use of bolts or rivets. Between thebrackets 9 and the overhanging bottom ends of the lateral portions 11 ofthe front wall of the beam a at the sides of the o ening 1, sufficientspace. or clearance is ormed for enabling the carry-iron 10 to be raisedfor disengagement and removal from the brackets 9 without obstruction.

It is to be here noted that, the distance from the longitudinal centerline of the j aw 6 (or coupler-shank 7) between its sides 6' in theposition of the parts shown on the drawing, to the bottom surface a; ofthe followerblock e which bears thereat on the carry-iron 10, is lessthan the distance from the said center to the top surface y of thefollower-block 6, whereby, when from wear of the engine wheel-tiresorother cause, the distance between the coupler-shank 7 and the rails ofthe track become correspondingly reduced, the coupler shank 7 can berestored to its normal standard height from the track by reversing theposition of the follower-block 'e, or so that its to surface 1; bearsupon the carryiron 10 in ieu of the bottom surface as as shown,sufficient space or clearance being left between the follower-block e ineither of its said ositions and the top of the pocket I) for enafilingthe follower-block 6 with the carry-iron 10 to be raised together forremoving the latter from the brackets 9 in dis connecting the arts. Itis also here noted that the rear along. its upper and lower edgeportions is tapered or beveled, whereby, when the spring 11 is assembledwithin its housing 0, on inserting the follower-block 0 through thebottom opening 2 of the beam a into the pocket I} the beveled portionsof its rear face will compress the sprlng d sufficiently for allowingthe follower-block e to be adjusted to its pro er position between thespring (1 and the we s or stops 4 as shown.

In operation, assuming the spring of, the follower-block e, andcoupler-shank 7 to be in their normal position with the front side ofthe follower-block e bearing against the Webs or stops 4 of the pocketI) and engaged by the inner end of the coupler-shank 8, 011 buffing thecoupler-shank 7 forces the followerblock 6 rearward so as to compressthe spring d against the inner closed end of its ace of thefollower-block e maze? ilot-beam a the rearward movement of theollower-block e being limited by the surrounding front edge of thehousing 0 (or rear wall of the pocket b).

In pulling, the spring (1, follower-block e, and coupler-shank 7 arereturned to their normal position by the resilience of the spring cluntil the follower-block e is stopped by the webs or stops 4 by Whichthe stress is transmitted through their extended bearing surface to thepilot-beam a, in lieu of through the limited surface of the latterengaged by the pivot-pin of the coupler-shank as in the saidapplication.

What we claim-as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In draft-gear of the character described,-

the combination with the pilot-beam and the coupler-shank, of a ocketin, and having a front opening throug the said beam, a housing having anopenin through its front end into the pocket and c osed at its rear end,a spring within the'housing adapted to bear at its rear end against theclosed end thereof, a follower-block within the pocket adapted to bearat its rear side a ainst the front end of the spring and movab etherewith to and from the housing, limiting sto s Within the ocketadapted to be engage by the folower-block in its forward movement, a jawprojecting from the follower-block and adapted to receive the rearportion .of the coupler-shank, a pin connecting the couplershankpivotally to the said jaw, and means for assemblin and supporting thefollowerblock within t e pocket, substantially as described.

2. In draft-gear of the character described, the combination with thepilot-' 1 1 engaged by the follower-block on the recoil of the springelement, a pin connecting the coupler-shank pivotally to the follower:

block, and means for assembling and sup porting the follower-blockwithin the pocket, substantially as described.

3. In draft -,gear of the character (1 scribed, the combination with thepilotbeam and the coupler-shank, of a ocket in, and having a frontopening throug the said beam, a housing having an opening through itsfront end into the pocket and closed at its rear end, a spring withinthe housin adapted to bear at its rear end a ainst the c osed endthereof, a follower-bloc within the pocket housing 0 which transmits thestress to the adapted to bear at its rear side against the to thebearing of the follower-block on the with to and from t e housing,limiting sto s said carry-iron, substantially as described. Within thepocket adapted to be engaged y In testimony whereof We have signed ourthe follower-block in its forward movement, I names to thisspecification in the presence of 5 a jaw projecting from thefollower-block and two subscribing Witnesses.

adapted to receive the rear portion of the CHARLES T. VVESTLAKE.coupler-shank, a pin connecting the coupler- ALBERT THOMAS. shankpivotally to the said jaw, a carry-iron Witnesses: for thefollower-block, and means for adjust- HAL BELLVILLE,

10 ing the level of the coupler-shank relatively 1 ARTHUR T. MOREY.

front end of the s ring and movable there-

